Growing Broad Beans, also Fava bean

Vicia faba : Fabaceae / the pea or legume family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec
      P P     P P      

(Best months for growing Broad Beans in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions)

  • P = Sow seed
  • Easy to grow. Sow in garden. Sow seed at a depth approximately three times the diameter of the seed. Best planted at soil temperatures between 43°F and 75°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 6 - 10 inches apart
  • Harvest in 12-22 weeks. Pick frequently to encourage more pods.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Dill, Potatoes

Your comments and tips

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01 May 08, Chris (Unknown climate)
Ants on the broadbeans are probably there because of blackfly/greenfly. The ants will be protecting the blackfly and feeding on the honeydew they secrete. Once the beans are past knee height you can pinch off the growing tips (the top two-to-three inches) of the bean plants (you can steam and eat these tips as a vegetable). Alternatively you can try washing off any insects with soapy water.
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01 May 08, (Unknown climate)
Hi, this is the first time we are growing broad beans and our garden is going great guns, We planted 20 seeds and have 20 very healthy and happy b road bean plants about 40cm high. HOWEVER, the broad beans are full of ants!! What should I be doing to get rid of them, or are they there for a purpose? Can someone help me please cause I dont want to see my plants.
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10 Jun 10, bella (United Kingdom - cool/temperate climate)
I have sprayed mine with washing up liquid and water, hopefully that will help
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10 Feb 08, Mary Forbes (Unknown climate)
Plant just one row and when they are about 10 cm high, plant a second row. Repeat as required. This ensures that you have tender broad beans for a longer period and are not over-loaded with a huge crop.
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Showing 341 - 344 of 344 comments
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Yes, the beans come from the flowers. Keep an eye on them - you will notice a little tiny pod that looks like a pea pod coming from the bottom of the flower as it withers. The pods then grow quite fast. They are ready to pick whenever you are ready to eat them. You can actually pick them early (when ther are the size of your pinkie finger) and cook them whole as you would with green beans. However most people pick them when they are the thickness of a thumb, and about 2 times the length of a thumb, or even bigger (you will get bigger beans). Split open the pod, and extract the beans. They should look white. Blanch them for a minute in boiling water, and the white skin on the outside will go wrinkly. It's a simple matter of popping the green beans out of the white skins, and you are ready to eat them, or cook with them further. They are lovely in frittatas and risotto. Once the harvest is over, you can cut up the plants and plough them back into the soil as compost, or simply add them to your compost heap. That way the plant is useful twice. Good luck!

- Michelle

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